RSS Feed

Follow BAMN on Twitter

Other Links:

•  United for Equality & Affirmative Action Legal Defense Fund (UEAALDF)

•  Equal Opportunity Now (EON)

•  DREAM Act Facebook Page

•  Justice for Oscar Grant Facebook Page

•  Justice for Jesús Gutiérrez - Make UC-Berkeley a Sanctuary Campus Facebook Page

•  BAMN Myspace Page

•  BAMN Chávez Holiday Myspace Page

October 13, 2007:

Governor Schwarzenegger
Vetoes the California Dream Act


Acting against the sentiments of the vast majority of people in this state, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the California Dream Act on Sat., Oct. 13, 2007. Schwarzenegger is continuing the state's practice of legalized discrimination against immigrant students without papers. Schwarzenegger bowed to the racist wing of the Republican Party, which puts their defense of white privilege above the interest of the whole state of California. California clearly needs a larger, more skilled workforce to grow and prosper and simply can no longer institute a policy of relegating Latina/os to second-class status and hope to thrive. BAMN thoroughly condemns Schwarzenegger's racist and outrageous action. We will continue fighting for the Dream Act and against the right wing's attempts to establish a new Jim Crow against Latina/os, immigrants, and all minority people in this state. Latina/os are no longer invisible and will not accept being treated in an unequal and unfair manner. The sleeping giant has awoken and will never be forced back into the shadows. We will continue to fight until we end legalized discrimination and second-class treatment in California once and for all.

Gil Cedillo, sponsor of the bill, has already said that he will bring this legislation back again. One of the most important lessons the movement learned this year was that it is extremely likely that the Dream Act will pass again later this year in the California State Legislature. However, to get the law enacted, it will be critical for the movement to be mobilizing on an independent basis to send a message to the Governor that another veto will be politically unacceptable to the Latina/o youth and communities. We will not allow the politicians to make deals which will compromise the futures of our youth or our state. Schwarzenegger signed the Landlord Act forbidding landlords from asking tenants their immigration status in exchange for vetoing the Dream Act. We need to make sure Schwarzenegger is unable to do this again.

Right now in California, every important political decision revolves around the questions of the rights and protections afforded to California's Latina/o communities with and without papers. Progress in the state, both economically and socially, requires granting the rights of citizenship to all Latina/os and all immigrants. Forces as disparate as the high school students who have repeatedly walked out to win equality and dignity, to the Los Angeles and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce who are largely concerned with the state's economic growth, recognize this fact and find themselves standing together for progressive measures like the Dream Act and against draconian measures like the raids. Turning that broad base of support into victories requires the growth and increased assertion of the movement.

In this fight, in particular, the youth must lead and fight on an independent basis because we need to lead not only our schools, campuses and communities, but we must also lead the politicians who know what we are demanding is right, but who often feel politically constrained to fight to win all that we need and deserve.

The key to winning this in the future will be the continued growth of the new civil rights movement and BAMN. The last few weeks demonstrate the increasing power of our struggle. From our mass march in Sacramento on October 4 and subsequent local actions, we succeeded in breaking through the press blackout and went from ten articles on the California Dream Act on Sept. 30 to 265 articles yesterday. The determination of students and youth to take action for our rights changed the editorial policy of the LA Times and other newspapers, and succeeded in getting Barack Obama to take a public stand in support of the California Dream Act. With even a few more BAMN leaders and groups at other college campuses and high schools, we could have broken through the press blackout sooner and we could have won.

Maintaining our independent focus on fighting for the full rights and equality for Latinas/os and all oppressed people, we can intervene in the upcoming presidential campaign effectively. Over the course of the next year, every candidate will be vying not only for youth votes, but to energize their base to be out campaigning for their candidates. Youth and teachers prepared to energetically work for their candidates will be regarded by these politicians as key to victory. Relying heavily on college student support, Barack Obama declared his support for the California Dream Act because his student supporters were putting pressure on him. With a few more leaders to strengthen the movement, we could have pushed more of the Democrats to feel that they could not get away with simply letting this bill fail. One or two BAMN leaders on any given high school or college campus can make an enormous difference.

This is a moment in history where the decision of young leaders to stand up and fight will be decisive to the future of an entire generation and people. Join BAMN, and build a BAMN chapter to organize your school or community to win the dignity and respect that we deserve.

¡LA LUCHA SIGUE!